The Dogs of Toronto Animal Services South

The guy asks me if there's a Husky available for adoption and surprisingly enough there is and I tell him, Yeah, actually, there is, and I bring him to see Smokey and I think the guy's going to go, Wow, beautiful dog! or something like that because that is exactly what Smokey is - a beautiful dog, one of the most beautiful dogs I've ever seen at the shelter - but instead the guy just goes, Hmm, and I ask him if he wants me to bring Smokey out so he can check him out but the guy says, No, that's okay.

A few minutes later, the guy comes out of the adoption room and sees me and he comes over and asks me, Do you guys ever get those grey and white Huskies and I say, Yeah, sometimes, and the guy asks if he could reserve one and I tell him, I don't think they do reservations here, you just have to check the website often, and the guy says, Oh, okay, and then I think he's about to leave but he asks, What kind of Husky is the brown one I saw? and I say, It's the same kind as the grey ones except it's brown, and the guy asks, Are they as popular as the grey ones? and I say, Well, actually, the brown ones are even more popular are even more in demand because you don't see as many of them and Smokey is really special because of his icy blue eyes, and the man sort of lights up and he says, Really?, and I say, Yeah, he'll probably get adopted pretty quickly, and the man thinks for a bit then he says, Maybe I'll go take another look at him.

I don't know what I was doing there. Part of me was perturbed that some guy who obviously knew nothing about Huskies wanted to get a dog based on its colouring and part of me wanted to influence his decision anyway, based not on properly educating him about getting a suitable dog for his lifestyle, but based on his shallow requirements for the right looking dog. Stupid me.

Didn't matter, though. Another couple asked to see Smokey in the meet and greet room and the man didn't want to wait around so he left.

Oh, and by the way, Smokey is a lovely dog. He can be a little distant for the first few minutes after initial meeting but once he warms up to you, he gives kisses on your face and takes food gently from your hand. He does have a predatorial interest in small critters, though, so it's probably best to keep him on leash unless there are no squirrels or cats in the neighbourhood and I don't know anywhere like that in Toronto.

The best way to check on the adoption status of this dog (and other dogs and cats and other small domestic animals) is to visit Toronto Animal Services adoption website or call 416 338 6668 for the Toronto Animal Services South shelter. If the dog is no longer on the TAS adoption website, it's probably because it's been adopted already.

I went out for lunch today with some guys from the office and as we walked by a park, an unused, grassy baseball diamond, I saw a woman and her black Lab standing there in the field. The woman appeared older, a little disheveled and she was standing in an awkward pose, right arm up but bent at an unnatural angle and her back was arched like she was about to throw something but somehow her body had gotten stuck in that pose. The dog beside her was also frozen, expectant, focused on her. This tableau held for a good five seconds and I saw in the woman's contorted profile much effort and uncertainty.

Then she jerked in a sideways motion and she did throw something and I saw a ball fly out of her hand and it hit the ground not more than ten feet away and I thought, now that's a terrible throw. The dog bounded after it and even though it was a short bound, its tongue was hanging out, its tail was doing helicopter wags. The dog picked up the ball and brought it back to its owner but instead of dropping it, the dog squeaked the thing.

The woman stood there for a moment. I was sure she was waiting for the dog to drop the ball, training it to release, but then she started reaching out for it. It looked like she was air grabbing at the ball like she was playing with the dog, teasing it a bit, like she was saying, I'm gonna getcha, I'm gonna getcha. The dog did not back away, though, as most would when playing this game.

The woman grabbed at the ball again, kept missing it and the dog would squeak the ball again but again she would miss it.

Strange game she was playing with her dog, I thought.

After a few more seconds, the dog squeaked the ball again and then dropped it on the grass. The woman stopped moving for a moment and then instead of just bending over to pick up the ball, she lowered herself to the ground until she was sitting down. Her dog happily danced around her. The woman felt around, searching for the ball. The ball was behind her. Didn't she know that? All she had to do was look behind her and she'd see it but she didn't turn around. She couldn't find the ball even though her hand would pass by it within inches.

Then I was close enough to her. Then I could see the tilt in the way she held her head. Then I could see she was blind.

Sometimes beauty descends upon us like a surprise, glittering sun shower, makes us gasp at its first touch. It comes out of nowhere while we're walking to lunch in the middle of a work day, on a busy, noisy, downtown street, while thinking about meetings and schedules and time allocations. Sometimes the sudden realization of what you are seeing, and reaching the meaning of what you are seeing, takes your breath away.

Now this part may just be my own wishful thinking but as I passed the woman and her dog, I noticed there were other people in the park watching the two of them as well. I wanted to believe they weren't just watching her, that they were looking out for her, ensuring her well-being and her dog's well-being. The blind woman playing fetch with her dog seemed such a fragile thing which could be so easily disrupted, a hundred things which could go wrong. It didn't appear to me like any of the other onlookers knew her but it seemed like they were all guardian angels.

The woman was still trying to find the ball on the grass and after a couple more near misses, her dog picked it up and squeaked it and dropped it again. This time the woman reached out along the grass and found the ball immediately. She stood up slowly, like someone trying to stand in a floating canoe, her dog very excited now.

The woman went into her throw pose, held it for a few seconds, readying herself, then threw the ball and from that excellent throw, the ball landed not more than ten feet away.

You know there are days when I think life is testing me. The big plan is found wanting and thrown out, too many secrets have spoiled the story, there is not enough time for love. But I am being preposterous, preposterous to think life would take a moment to single me out and I don't really believe that anyway. If life tests any of us, it tests all of us. It certainly doesn't test me any more than it tests a blind woman who wants to play fetch with her dog, throwing up a mountain of challenges in front of her just because she wants to partake in an activity most take for granted. I may suffer my minor woes but nothing here is new. Nothing here is exceptional. It's the same old story and what can any of us do but choose a path and walk to the end.

The woman must have faith her dog will return with the ball. She trusts her companion to be loyal, smart and patient, understanding and I suppose that is the most any of us can hope for.

Tonight the Harvest Moon shines down and through the clouds there is a faint light cast upon all doubtful seekers, all cynical believers.

This chumby (yes, I'm making up words now) Sharpei Pug Puppy, rescued from a Wellington area puppy mill by Kismutt almost two months ago has got a great mix of personality and looks.

He'd be up for adoption already except he'd gotten such a bad ear mite infection from the puppy mill where he was bred that even once the mites were removed, the ear tissue had suffered so much trauma that hematomas developed, swelling the ear flaps up until it was like there were hard lumps of clay implanted beneath the skin of each ear. So, TAS had to take care of that problem and then there was the recovery period and now, finally, the bandages should be coming off any day now, maybe tomorrow - fingers crossed - and Magoo can finally go into adoption.

And if you think this guy's cute, wait 'til you see his little sister.

The best way to check on the adoption status of this dog (and other dogs and cats and other small domestic animals) is to visit Toronto Animal Services adoption website or call 416 338 6668 for the Toronto Animal Services South shelter. If the dog is no longer on the TAS adoption website, it's probably because it's been adopted already.

It's been almost a year since Magic and Jimmers arrived in Canada. They've had to make a lot of adjustments.

Ottawa is not dog friendly. With 2 million humans and 1075 square miles, if the total area available as dog parks, on or off leash, is 5 square miles, it would surprise me. There are some large areas in the 'burbs, accessible by car. If you don't have a vehicle, there is almost nothing: most green spaces are No Dogs, on leash or off.

It's no wonder the majority of dog walkers ignore the signs. Despite very strict dog bylaws, Ottawa is seething with dogs. At least, our downtown university area is. Students are crammed to the rafters here: the university has doubled in size in the last decade. It's astounding how many bring dogs, and how many home owners have one or more.

That was the first shock for Magic and Jimmers: other dogs! In Beograd, they lived with other dogs, but those were The Pack, and Magic was The Boss. Dhaka had street dogs, but we avoided that problem by taking them to an open area along the river where they were more likely to meet goats and mongooses than dogs.

Magic HATES other dogs. She also disliked, intensely, on sight, squirrels, joggers, Canada geese, small children, anything mechanical a sharp noise, vehicles that swish through water, bus doors, bicycles and skateboarders. (Okay, I agree about skateboarders.) Jimmers found everything terrifying, except squirrels, with whom he developed an obsession. The only reason he walked at all was that Magic did all the defensive work, and he only had to back her up.

I learned quickly that eight legs and a low center of gravity trumps two legs and the strongest leashes when two frantic dogs are attempting to defend themselves and their person from random Shih Tzus and passing cyclists. Soon, I was restricting our walks to very early morning and after 23:00, and inquiring frantically about professional trainers.

Then, the temperature dropped. I don't mean winter: I mean autumn. For dogs who came from the tropics, anything under 20 degrees Celsius was the Ninth Circle of Hell. And Magic has a nose that can detect the *exact* temperature, to three decimal places, before a paw hits the porch!

I have become expert on dog clothing, and I do not mean the froufrou outfits that sense-challenged persons inflict on genetically warped fashion victims. Velcro is NOT the best fastener: easy on is easy off where my dogs are concerned. And that little hole in the back only accommodates a leash attached to a collar: dogs in a harness are SOL. Then there is the issue of reflectivity at night. Reflective piping on the edges of a coat is useless: where are the dog coats with big honking
strips of reflective tape on the front, sides and tail end? And that's before checking construction and care instructions.

After a few expensive failures, my dogs were outfitted for the weather.

And then it snowed.

The first snow fall saw Magic trying to walk without actually putting her feet on the ground. At one point, she tried to shake off all four paws at once, with predictable results. Jimmers just gave me his martyred dog look that clearly said that, while he would follow me to the ends of the earth, did we really have to live there?

Then Jimmers discovered rolling in snow, and had to stop every three minutes to smear street grit all over his expensive new parka. Magic never accepted winter: a walk in the snow with her is a forced march at the fastest clip she can impose.

The plus side is that bylaw officers don't enforce the No Dogs bylaws, since they assume that no one in their right mind would linger in the open at -20 degrees. They may be right, but there we all were, shivering in the wind and shoveling frozen poop into our doggie bags.

By the time winter came, we had started training. The first trainer, recommended by someone who should have known better, was into dominance. This might be okay for normal dogs, but I soon found that intimidation is counter productive for special needs dogs with a history of abuse. It worked at first, maybe because the dogs were stunned at my betrayal. After a few weeks, the reaction set in: their problems got worse, as they redirected the anxiety and aggression caused by my dominance behaviour toward the cold and unfriendly world.

Fortunately, I am literate, and had been reading. We switched to a positive trainer who took us to a behavioural veterinarian and, between them, they have made an amazing difference to Magic and Jimmers.

Magic has forsworn her aversion to squirrels, most joggers, geese, small children, mechanical noise, vehicles that swish through water, bus doors, and bicycles. Skateboarders remain fair game, possibly because she can read my mind. Other dogs are allowed to exist, provided they stay at least 1/2 block away, preferably seen in butt end view. And we continue to work on it, with slow and steady improvements.

Jimmers can now go out, for short periods, without Magic's protection. He no longer has to be carried: he will go happily, provided there are no strangers walking or talking within four lots of the house, and no machines operating. He knows he only has to stay out long enough to do what a dog's gotta do, and then he can come right back. It doesn't sound like a lot, but for Jimmers, it is a huge step forward. And he is slowly acquiring friends, people from the cat rescue I help who visit just
to talk softly to him and feed him treats. He's still unsure -- lots of lip licking, looking away and walking very, very slowly in curved lines -- but his love of treats is gradually leading him to engage with at least a few humans other than my husband and me.

An immigrant's life is never easy: just ask all the very educated cab drivers lined up at the taxi stand. At least my dogs don't have to deal with ethnic discrimination, political exploitation, or language difficulties: dog seems to be universally spoken, with only dialect differences to overcome. That's why we estimate that they should be as trained as they can be in another 18 months.

Just in time for our next posting abroad, in fact. I just hope, where ever we get sent, they have some good, big dog parks.

I didn't recognize Jackson when I met him a few days ago and even when I telephoned James and he looked up his original photograph, which he said I took, I wasn't sure. It was five years ago. He must've been one of the first dogs I photographed at TAS. I dug through my boxes, searching for the CDs onto which I'd burned all those older pictures. I found it. Something labeled 2007. I opened up the directories and found Jackson in the July folder except he was called Hobo back then. When I saw the old photos, it was obvious. Of course this was the same dog - same markings, same expression in the eyes but he was still a pup back then. His snout was more rounded, more characteristic of the Shar Pei breed, his few wrinkles more prominent.

I remembered this photograph. It was the first photograph I remembered taking where I thought I'd captured something interesting in the dog's personality, a certain sadness from being abandoned but also a certain regalness. I remembered this photograph, just didn't make the connection that it was the same dog as Jackson, now in front of me, barking at the camera. A lot of dogs don't like cameras pointed at them, just like a lot of people don't like cameras pointed at them, especially when that camera is held by a stranger. With treats and time, Jackson eventually settles enough to let me take some shots.

Jackson's in my neighbourhood. His owners are trying to rehome him because he's uneasy around small children and they're expecting a second child. He's still at home now, listed with a couple of local rescues but it's been months and no takers so far with a couple of serious inquiries falling through at the last minute due to the "expert" influence of friends on the potential adopters. "Rescue dogs are no good." "Rescue dogs can't be trusted." You know what those types of people are like.

We walk around the neighbourhood, Jackson's owner pushing his daughter around in the stroller while handling Jackson. I've got Simone. Simone's okay with Jackson. She didn't do her little freak out dance she sometimes does around new dogs when she's on leash. And Jackson's okay with her. Jackson seems okay with most things. I don't see any signs of anxiety or surliness or anything at all that would make me wary. But I do sense that same regal air he had even as a younger dog all those years ago. He's not haughty but he carries himself proudly, that beautifully spotted fur adorning his chest like a king's smock.

Jackson's adoption listing from his owners:

Jackson: Loyal, Obedient and Gentle

Jackson, a lovely Shar Pei / Pointer mix is six years of age. Adopted as a puppy, this loyal, obedient and fully trained boy is neutered and up-to-date on all of his vaccinations. Jackson is great with other dogs and loves to romp and play. He adores belly rubs and snuggling. All in all he is a gentle, devoted and funny guy. Access to outdoor space (i.e. parks, back yard , farmland, countryside) would be ideal. A childless home and an experienced owner are strongly preferred.

Jackson is currently residing with a family who adopted him from Toronto Animal Services South 5yrs ago. Jackson is fully housebroken and can be left alone at home unattended with no concerns about any destruction of furniture, excessive barking or the like. He has Level 1 obedience training and can sit, come, stay, lie down, halt, and take treats nicely. Jackson is fully leash trained and is highly food/treat motivated. Jackson is also great in the car, great with other dogs and loves to play and romp. He adores playing with his stuffed toys, taking naps in the sunshine, belly rubs and snuggling.

Prior to his being adopted by his present family, he suffered a fracture to his left hip, resulting in hip dysplasia and atrophy of the muscle in the hind-leg. His present owners have had the leg assessed on a regular and on-going basis (full-vet records available). Though Jackson walks with four legs, he has adapted to his hip injury by often running and turning on three legs, hopping up stairs and resting when he needs to. His new owner must be comfortable with maintaining Jackson's weight at a healthy level (through regular walks) and not hesitating to follow up with a good vet.

Jackson a gentle, devoted, funny guy who is loved dearly. It is with great sadness that his family must find him a new home. In the past year Jackson's life has changed dramatically due to the addition of a baby to his family. Jackson is nervous around children and babies, as well as people he doesn’t know. His caregivers time and attention has become split and their ability to manage Jackson's needs have become too difficult. As such, they are seeking a new forever home for their beloved boy.

If you, or someone you know, is interested in adopting this beautiful dog Jackson and providing him with a new forever home, please contact Oasis at 905-728-8500, or visit the Oasis website at to fill out an adoption application.

[Stella is] doing great! I picked her up 2 weeks ago from the shelter & she wasted no time making herself at home!! She now lives with my other dog, Oliver who's a 6 yr old JRT/Bassett cross. She is learning the basic commands & the "house" rules quickly!! Stella is an extremely affectionate girl & LOVES attention!

Madeline is a lonely little pug from a puppy mill. Her left eye was messed up somehow, never treated and went blind because she was neglected by the puppy miller and TAS South had to remove the eye to prevent further infections down the road.

Despite being a one-eyed, sad-sack dog, Madeline will probably still find a loving home because she is above all else, adorable, and the majority of people, outside of puppy millers, are in love with adorable.

The images below show Madeline before her eye was removed. She's recovering well from the surgery and should be available for adoption in a day or two.

The best way to check on the adoption status of this dog (and other dogs and cats and other small domestic animals) is to visit Toronto Animal Services adoption website or call 416 338 6668 for the Toronto Animal Services South shelter. If the dog is no longer on the TAS adoption website, it's probably because it's been adopted already.

This little one came in with three other pups who were all about the same age and somehow related. Two of them got adopted over the weekend but there are still two left.

This pup is a little feisty and needs some help adjusting to being handled by gentle hands because the puppy miller he was rescued from never properly cared for him or treated him kindly. He's young, though, and will learn quickly that not all people are evil, money grubbing, animal abusing douchebags.

The best way to check on the adoption status of this dog (and other dogs and cats and other small domestic animals) is to visit Toronto Animal Services adoption website or call 416 338 6668 for the Toronto Animal Services South shelter. If the dog is no longer on the TAS adoption website, it's probably because it's been adopted already.

Over the next few days, I'm going to be posting up the latest and possibly last batch of dogs rescued from the puppy mills of Ontario by Kismutt Rescue and brought to Toronto Animal Services South for rehoming.

In the second photo, he's with his good friend, a Collie mix, with whom he shares a kennel and who will be featured in tomorrow's post.

The best way to check on the adoption status of this dog (and other dogs and cats and other small domestic animals) is to visit Toronto Animal Services adoption website or call 416 338 6668 for the Toronto Animal Services South shelter. If the dog is no longer on the TAS adoption website, it's probably because it's been adopted already.

Kiki and Shadow meet for the first time when they took a ride up together to Toronto from that pound in Georgia but now they're best buddies. That doesn't mean they're bonded but it is indicative of how affectionate these two dogs are.

Dogs like Kiki and Shadow never would have stood a chance at being adopted back where they came from - not just because that pound had no adoption program - but even if the pound had one, big black dogs always seem to be passed over down there.

Luckily, they're both in Toronto now. Toronto may have the worst professional sports teams in North America; we may have a perpetually insufficient transit system coupled with some of this continent's worst traffic congestion; we may keep putting up ass ugly condo towers along our waterfront even though we keep saying we won't allow it anymore; our Gardiner Expressway may be raining down concrete on the cars below; but, one thing Toronto does well is we keep damn fine care of our dogs regardless of their colour.

Ashley Hyslop, who was instrumental in bringing Shadow up here, adds:

Shadow is ball of love! Her main mission in life is to please, please, please. Her love of affection could be compared to Winnie the Pooh’s love of honey – endless love! Winnie the Pooh was also best friends with every character in the 100 acre of forest – Shadow is very similar – she will instantly become your best friend! Shadow is approx 1.5 years and gets along very well with other dogs! She would be a great pet for an active family who is looking for a loyal companion.

Kiki looks like she's wearing those short, sports socks that some people wear in the summer. I'm not sure if that's a fashion faux pas or not but it certainly gives her a very distinctive look.

Kiki is a happy, all round dog's dog who really likes her dog buddies. Definitely a strong candidate for dog park fans.

Ashley Hyslop, Kiki's rescuer, adds:

Kiki was overlooked down south simply due to her black coloring! She doesn’t hold grudges however and in fact is a very laid back, gentle soul! She is extremely friendly and would do great in any loving home! She loves playing with other dogs and giving big kisses to anyone who pays attention.

Todd is the subdued one. He is the other Plott Hound who, along with his pal Chipper, were brought up from a high kill shelter in Georgia in the hopes of finding a home here in Toronto.

If Chipper and Todd were a comedy duo, they'd be Laurel and Hardy with Todd being Laurel (Laurel's the quiet, sadly perplexed one). Todd seemed to constantly be getting climbed over and pushed around by Chipper's exuberance and he just mostly stood there and wagged his tail. Good practice for being around toddlers I suspect.

Toronto Animal Services South recently accepted four dogs rescued from a high kill shelter in Georgia to assist with their adoptions. All their transport and medical costs were privately funded by some generous donors, especially by rescuer extraordinaire, Ashley Hyslop, who also wrote the following:

These beautiful dogs once had very little hope of finding a happy ending. They were picked up and brought into a county kill shelter in southern Georgia where their fate looked very grim. Before June 15th, 2012 every dog that entered this shelter never left! The county paid to have every dog euthanized in order to decrease their stray population and ‘get rid’ of the ones that were abandoned as they didn’t have an adoption program or hadn’t started working with rescues.

June 15th, 2012, the Paws for Hope and Faith foundation stepped in and finally gave this county shelter and all the dogs at the shelter hope. Long story short – these four gorgeous dogs have traveled over 1500 miles from Southern Georgia in order to find the love and happiness that comes with a forever home that they so desperately deserve.

These four have already won the hearts of the TAS staff and volunteers. Kiki is a gentle soul. She is very laid back and super sweet. Shadow is a bundle of love. She is so happy go lucky. Chipper and Todd are sweethearts.

They will be available for adoption beginning this weekend at the Leaside Petsmart Adoptathon (Eglinton/Laird). Please consider giving them their happy ending! A life is a life.

Thank you to TAS South for not only helping local animals find their happy endings but also reaching across the border and giving hope to ones that wouldn't have been given a chance otherwise!

Over the next four days, I'll post up one Georgia dog per day as I get their images edited.

Today, we've got Chipper with his most excellent striping. Chipper reminds me of Tigger, the Winnie the Pooh character. Chipper is just as friendly and just as bouncy.

You won't be needing that down comforter if you've got Tristan snoozing beside you. He might be a dog but he's got a polar bear coat - not that I've ever felt a polar bear coat. I imagine it would be a lot coarser than Tristan's downy fur but hey, what do I know? Maybe polar bear coats are as soft as cotton balls.

I'm pretty sure, though, that Tristan is significantly more friendly than most polar bears so it would likely be a lot easier to invite him onto your couch to warm your lap in the winter.

Mia was overly excited when I first took her out of her kennel. She immediately began biting the leash, playing tug a little too enthusiastically. It wasn't the best behaviour, especially for a shelter dog hoping to get adopted.

I brought her over to a bench and sat down with her and waited. Less than fifteen seconds later, she'd stopped biting and pulling the leash. I waited another minute or so and then got up and we walked outside without incident. Once outside, perhaps with the change in environment, Mia got excited again and started nipping the leash. I stopped walking, just stood there, didn't acknowledge her and she immediately stopped her behaviour.

There were no more incidences for the rest of the walk, despite the noise and the crowds (there was a charity run that day). Once she felt secure with me at the other end of the leash, she behaved like a friendly, happy dog out for a walk on a sunny, cool fall afternoon.

Mia is a good dog and she wants to be an even better dog. She just needs a calm and loving owner to show her how.

The best way to check on the adoption status of this dog (and other dogs and cats and other small domestic animals) is to visit Toronto Animal Services adoption website or call 416 338 6668 for the Toronto Animal Services South shelter. If the dog is no longer on the TAS adoption website, it's probably because it's been adopted already.

We adopted Todd (Now name “Banjo”) on August 14 … it was like a 5 a 7 thing …
As you can see on the pictures, Banjo is now part of our family … Is it crazy that even after a week only, I find myself taking hundreds of pictures of him and have it as a wallpaper on my cellphone??? Banjo is sooooo Happy to be with us!

He already made 6 doggy friends in the park near our house (oh and by the way, Banjo is the King of the park … the other dogs listen to him .. oui oui!) Banjo likes to cuddle while watching TV and decided to go with Holistic food (What can I say?) …

We are also starting Obedience class on Saturday and Banjo is very exited about going to school!

Banjo is the best dog ever !!!!! Maybe he wasn’t that much last week when he decided to use my brand new Merrell Scandal as chewing toy … But, how can you be mad for more then 2 minutes at such a perfect dog!

A request

The reason for this blog is to help get specific dogs adopted from TAS but equally important is to try to normalize the idea of shelter dogs being just as good and just as desirable as any other dogs including those which are regularly merchandised by backyard breeders, puppy millers and those few remaining pet store owners who still feel a need to sell live animals. The single greatest stigma shelter animals still face is the belief that shelter animals are substandard animals. Anyone who has had enough experience with shelter animals knows this is untrue but the general public hasn't had the same experiences you've had. They see a nice dog photo in a glossy magazine and too many of them would never think of associating that dog with a dog from a shelter. After all, no one abandons perfectly good dogs, right? Unfortunately, as we all know, perfectly good dogs are abandoned all the time.

The public still too often associates shelter dogs with images of beat up, sick, dirty, severely traumatized animals and while we definitely sometimes see victims such as these, they are certainly not the majority and, regardless, even the most abused animals can very often be saved and made whole again.

Pound Dogs sometimes discusses the sad histories some of the dogs have suffered. For the most part, though, it tries to present the dogs not as victims but as great potential family members. The goal is to raise the profiles of animals in adoption centers so that a potential pet owner sees them as the best choice, not just as the charity choice.

So, here's the favour I'm asking. Whenever you see a dog picture on these pages you think is decent enough, I'd like you to consider sharing it on Facebook or any other social media sites you're using (I know many of you do this already and thank you for that). And when you share it, please mention that the dog in the photo is a shelter dog like so many other shelter dogs waiting for a home. If we can get even five percent of the pet buying public to see shelter dogs differently, to see how beautiful they are and how wonderful they are, and to consider shelter dogs as their first choice for a new family member, we can end the suffering of homeless pets in this country.-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------